Fresh Air Weekend: Mary Roach, 'Mad Men,' Ty Burr And Marriage

Mad Men returns with a two-hour season premiere. TV critic David Bianculli won't reveal any spoilers, but he praises actor Jon Hamm, who "so sparingly and perfectly" plays Don Draper in the series.

Frank OckenfelsAMC

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Originally published on April 6, 2013 8:39 am

Fresh Air Weekend highlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

In Digestion: Mary Roach Explains What Happens To The Food We Eat: With books like Stiff and Spook, Roach has built a reputation for making unpalatable subjects entertaining. In her new book, Gulp, she tackles the human digestive system, from the mouth on down. Along the way, she gets a sedation-free colonoscopy and goes on location for a fecal transplant.

This Spring, Rejoice At Rebirth Of 'Mad Men': It used to be that TV's biggest annual event was the arrival of the fall season, but these days excellent shows premiere year-round. This spring, the return of AMC's stylish drama is the best reason to celebrate the season: The two-hour premiere delivers on the show's highest ambitions.

Even Dictionaries Grapple With Getting 'Marriage' Right: Lexicographers know they're in the hot seat as they confront the changing use of the word "marriage." Linguist Geoff Nunberg says the key to getting the new definition right is to crisply describe everything that's in the category and nothing that isn't.

How And Why The Hollywood Star Machine Made 'Gods Like Us': In a new book about movie stardom and fame, Boston Globe film critic Ty Burr looks at the evolving history of the relationship between movie stars and the people who love them, and at how changing technology influences the kinds of stars the public wants.